A method and arrangement of the kind referred to above is disclosed in U.S. patent application serial No. 761,989, filed on Sep. 25, 1991. In this application, the measured value for the position of an adjusting device of the motor vehicle and/or of the internal combustion engine is determined on the basis of stored end values representing the end position of the adjusting devices and on the basis of the measuring signal of a position transducer which is connected to the adjusting device. To determine the precise position of the end position, the adjusting device is driven in the direction of the lower end position in the prestart phase of the engine in advance of the starting procedure when the ignition key is turned. The measured position of the adjusting device is stored as the end value representing the end position when the control variable of the adjusting device assumes a pregiven limit value for a pregiven time duration or when this control value exceeds the limit value. Thereafter, the adjusting device is driven into its upper end position, that is its maximum position, and the measured value of the position transducer is stored as representing the end position when the control variable of the adjusting device assumes a limit value for a pregiven time or exceeds this limit value. Alternatively, the learning process takes place with reference to the upper end position (the maximum position) when, during driving operation, the adjusting device is in the vicinity of its upper end position; stated otherwise, when the adjusting device is in a pregiven region about the upper end position or the stored end value representing this end position.
Carrying out the learning process by closing the ignition switch (at the beginning of an operating cycle) deteriorates the starting performance of the engine since the time needed for the learning process should be ahead of the starting procedure of the engine. Furthermore, the danger exists of a deterioration of the exhaust gas since the measures for determining the fuel quantity to be measured can be influenced negatively by the changes of the position of the adjusting device in advance of the start phase of the engine.